Katie Ledecky – The Rio Possibles

Katie Ledecky has “only” one Olympic gold medal, that in the 2012 800 metre freestyle. However, her performances at the 2014 Pan Pacs and 2015 World Championships, and her multiple world record swims over the past 3 years, portend well for what she may achieve in Rio. She will swim the 200, 400, and 800 freestyles, the 4×200 freestyle relay, and has a remote possibility to swim the 4×100 freestyle relays. She will be heavily favored in the 400 and 800 freestyles, and probably a co-favorite in the 200 free. The USA will likely be favored in the 4×200 freestyle relay, but are longshots to win the 4×100 free relay, as Australia will be a heavy favorite in that event. Here are some of the swimming records that Ledecky could chase in the pool at Rio de Janeiro.

Move to =4th among @TeamUSA Olympians, any sport, with 4 Olympic gold medals, trailing Thompson and Van Dyken, as above, and tied with 12 other USA women.

Move to =3rd among @TeamUSA Olympians, any sport, with 3 Olympic golds at one Olympics, trailing only swimmers Missy Franklin (2012) and Amy Van Dyken (1996), with 4 each, and tied with 22 other USA women, including 17 swimmers.

If She Wins Three Individual Gold Medals (200-400-800 free) in Rio, Katie Ledecky Will …

Move to =7th among all female Olympians (any sport) with the most individual gold medals with 4. The record is 7 by Věra Čáslavská (TCH) in gymnastics, with Larysa Latynina (URS-GYM) and Lidiya Skoblikova (URS-SSK) having won 6 individual golds.

Tie Debbie Meyer (1968) and Janet Evans (1988) among US female swimmers with 3 individual gold medals at a single Olympic Games.

Move to =4th among female Olympic swimmers with 5 gold medals. The record is 8, held by Jenny Thompson (USA), with Kristin Otto (GDR) and Amy Van Dyken (USA) having won 6.

Move to =2nd among all female Olympians (any sport) with 4 gold medals at a single Games. The record is 6 by Kristin Otto in 1988, with 9 other women having won 4 golds at one Olympics, including two @TeamUSA swimmers, Amy Van Dyken (1996) and Missy Franklin (2012).

It’s Unlikely, But If She Wins Five Gold Medals in Rio, Katie Ledecky Will …

Trail only Kristin Otto, the only woman to win 6 gold medals at one Olympic Games (swimming-1988). No other woman has won more than 4 at one Games. Ledecky would move to =5th all-time in any sport, also trailing the following men: Michael Phelps (8 in 2008, 6 in 2004), Mark Spitz (7 in 1972), and Vitaly Shcherbo (6 for EUN in gymnastics in 1992).

Move to =5th among all female Olympians (any sport) with 6 gold medals. The leaders in this category are Larysa Latynina (URS-GYM) with 9, followed by Birgit Fischer-Schmidt (GDR/GER-CAN) and Jenny Thompson (USA-SWI) with 8, and Věra Čáslavská (TCH-GYM) with 7. Ledecky, with 6, would tie Amy Van Dyken (SWI) for second place among @TeamUSA women.